Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The Panoblu IR system delivers full 360° thermal night vision, detecting heat rather than light, so it sees in total darkness with no ambient light required. Because it reads heat signatures it also cuts through fog and smoke that would blind a visible-light camera. Learn more about Panoblu IR thermal vision.

Yes. Panoblu is compatible with major bridge systems and marine displays, supporting ONVIF, WebRTC and HTML5-based interfaces, and it can ingest NMEA data for contextual overlays. No additional bridge hardware is required — it runs in any modern browser. See how it all connects on the Panoblu system page.

Yes. Both Seaview and Panoblu IR are fully weather-sealed to IP68 and corrosion-resistant, with a carbon-fibre composite housing over a marine-grade stainless-steel core and aluminium cooling plates, rated from -20°C to +50°C. As a solid-state system there are no exposed motors or moving parts that can seize due to salt deposits. Full environmental specs are on the system specifications page.

Carbon-fibre composite over a marine-grade stainless-steel core, with aluminium cooling plates. Compared with a solid metal housing it does three things better. It is more resistant to the marine environment: carbon-fibre composite does not corrode, and the marine-grade core and paint shrug off salt and humidity. It is lighter: carbon-fibre carries high strength at low weight, so the unit sits lighter at the masthead. And it handles heat better: the aluminium cooling plates draw heat away efficiently, keeping the thermal sensors and electronics in their operating range through long watches in the sun. Finished in marine-grade paint, adaptable to the vessel colour, with lens mounts always black.

Yes. Panoblu systems can be installed on motor yachts, sailing yachts and explorer vessels, during new builds or refits, using mast, hardtop or custom mounting solutions. Installation needs only a single PoE++ cable and a standard mast mount up to 130mm (larger built-to-order). See the single-cable install detail.

Absolutely. Its thermal and low-light capabilities make it ideal for spotting ice, debris and small objects in remote or extreme environments, operating reliably down to -20°C. The continuous 360° thermal view is especially valuable where charts are sparse and hazards are unlit.

Yes. Live and recorded 360° video can be accessed from onboard devices or remotely, on iPad, tablet, phone or any modern browser, provided the vessel’s network is configured for remote access. Remote access and clip sharing are part of the Panoblu Cloud layer.

Panoblu captures at up to 5.12K resolution on the horizon-facing thermal IR lenses, with 4K live playout and up to 36× digital zoom, optimised for clarity across multiple zoom levels. Seaview’s visible-light unit captures at up to 8K. Full optical specs are listed on the system page.

Yes. Panoblu supports role-based permissions, allowing captains or engineers to restrict or enable recording access as required. The same permissions govern who can export or share footage. Read more about the onboard server and access control.

Yes. If connected to the internet, the system can be accessed remotely for monitoring, diagnostics or support — no VPN configuration is required on the vessel side. Remote access is an optional, outbound-only cloud feature.

Yes. The thermal and panoramic views are invaluable for MOB search: a warm body stands out against cold water from every bearing at once, and RAD provides instant range and bearing to the casualty. See the full man overboard use case.

Yes. Users with the appropriate permissions can export snapshots or video clips with time and GPS-location stamps for security or operational review. Every second underway is archived with position data. More on storage and the voyage archive.

Yes. It provides a full 360° perimeter view, supporting gangway monitoring, tender traffic and guest safety at berth — replacing multiple fixed cameras with a single unit. Explore the 360° security use case.

Yes. With thermal detection, panoramic visibility and navigational overlays, Panoblu offers a powerful tool for situational awareness, and the Range Awareness Display overlays live distance to everything in frame. It supports keeping a proper look-out under COLREGS Rule 5.

Panoblu IR picks out people, vessels, floating debris, wildlife and other heat-emitting objects, even in darkness or through fog. It resolves temperature differences of less than 0.3°C across a continuous 360° field with no blind spots. See what thermal infrared adds.

Yes. Panoblu systems are designed to operate continuously in all conditions, at anchor or underway, in daylight, darkness or poor visibility, with no external moving parts to wear at speed. This continuous coverage is central to keeping a proper look-out.

Both. Panoblu delivers a live real-time stream over WebRTC and simultaneously records the full panorama for review, playback or export — even while a user is zoomed into one sector. More on the app and live view.

Yes. Panoblu records a continuous panoramic log that can be indexed by time, GPS location or event for later review, with frame-accurate retrieval on demand. Expanded storage and cloud backup are available as options. See GPS-tagged voyage playback.

Panoblu systems ship with 2TB SSD storage onboard, supporting up to approximately two months of optimised continuous panoramic footage. Capacity scales to 8TB+ with the optional onboard server for long-range voyages. Details on the Panoblu OB Server.

Panoblu systems include onboard recording and buffering, so footage is retained locally even during network outages — the system operates at full capability with no internet connection at all. Cloud sync is outbound only and never a dependency. See the offline-first architecture.

Panoblu can ingest NMEA data for contextual overlays, with radar and AIS integration available via third-party platforms or custom setup. Layered with the Range Awareness Display, this adds live distance context that radar and AIS alone don’t provide.

Panoblu IR systems are factory calibrated and auto-correct for environmental changes to maintain consistent imaging throughout operation. There are no optics to align in the field thanks to the fixed, solid-state sensor array. More on the IR camera unit.

Yes. Panoblu IR integrates with existing marine bridge systems and displays, showing thermal and visible feeds side-by-side or separately, via a browser-based interface that needs no extra bridge hardware. See integration and the system architecture.

Yes. The system offers dual-mode viewing — thermal from Panoblu IR and full-colour daylight from Panoblu Seaview — giving a complete picture of surroundings regardless of conditions.

Yes. With solid-state construction and no external moving parts, Panoblu is inherently robust and vibration-resistant, and its carbon-fibre composite shell over a stainless-steel core is built for the harshest marine environments. It carries an IP68 ingress rating. See full housing and build specs.

Panoblu runs on standard marine power delivered as 60–80W operating (90W peak) PoE++ over a single Cat 6A cable, IEEE 802.3bt Type 4 — no separate power run required. Review the power and install specs.

Panoblu is designed and tested to meet CE requirements, with self-certification in progress. Full compliance documentation will be confirmed on completion of testing — contact the team for the latest status.

The interface is intuitive and touch-friendly, running on marine MFDs, tablets or computers with pan, zoom, timeline and snapshot features, plus up to four simultaneous split-screen viewports. Crew can also access it on mobile devices. See the Panoblu app.

Yes. Multiple stations can simultaneously access and control the camera feed over the vessel LAN — bridge, ECR, security office, iPads and more — with no single-user bottleneck. More on multi-user LAN access.

Yes. Panoblu Seaview includes a guest-friendly mode where panoramic photos and videos can be captured and shared after the journey, from the bow spray at speed to a harbour approach at golden hour. Explore Panoblu Seaview.

Yes. Remote or onboard training is available to ensure captains, officers and ETOs are fully equipped to use the system. Get in touch to arrange a session or a live demonstration.

Panoblu comes with a standard one-year warranty, with extended options available for private yachts, commercial fleets and new builds. Contact the team to discuss the right cover for your vessel.

Thermal infrared imaging detects heat emitted or reflected by objects, allowing visibility in total darkness, fog, smoke or other obscured conditions — with no light source required. Panoblu IR resolves differences of under 0.3°C. Learn how Panoblu IR applies this at sea.

Thermal imaging detects heat signatures, while traditional night vision amplifies available light using light sources around the lens. Thermal works in complete darkness with no light source at all, which is why it underpins Panoblu’s night watch capability.

Yes. The system is designed to pick out even small heat-differentiated objects, including floating debris and persons overboard, across the full panorama at once. This is central to the man overboard and search-and-rescue use case.

Thermal imaging is less affected by weather than visible-light cameras, performing well through haze, light fog and darkness, though heavy rain can slightly reduce contrast. See where thermal makes the difference.

Yes. Panoblu IR functions equally well during daylight and night, providing continuous thermal awareness regardless of lighting conditions — and pairs with daylight Panoblu Seaview for full-colour 360° vision.

Detection range depends on object size and conditions, but Panoblu IR provides meaningful 360° detection out to hundreds of metres, with up to 36× digital zoom to inspect a target without losing the wider view. More on detection and range, measured live by RAD.

Absolutely. Thermal vision reveals hazards such as floating logs, ice and unlit vessels that are invisible to the naked eye at night, and the Range Awareness Display overlays live distance to each one across the panorama.

It depends on the target. Large vessels — a tanker or a 50 m yacht — are picked up all the way to the horizon (10 km and beyond); past a certain size, the limit is line of sight, not the camera. Smaller, lower targets are seen closer: a pleasure yacht at ~1.5 km, a RIB at ~1 km, and a person in the water at ~200 m — all across the full 360° view at once, with live distance to each shown by the Range Awareness Display.

Yes. Panoblu Thermal IR picks out a human heat signature across roughly a 200 m radius in complete darkness — in every direction at once, with no camera to aim. RAD then gives the watch crew an instant distance to the person, which is critical for a fast recovery. See the full man overboard use case.

Detection means something is there. Recognition means you can tell what class it is — a vessel, a person, a RIB versus a yacht. Identification means the specific object. Each needs progressively more detail, so each happens at a progressively shorter range. We quote detection and recognition because those are what matter for collision avoidance and keeping a proper look-out under COLREGS Rule 5.

A single long range usually describes one narrow field of view — the camera only sees the sliver it's pointed at. Panoblu covers the entire 360° horizon continuously, so our ranges describe what you see all around the vessel at once, which is the number that actually keeps you safe. For comparison against narrow-FOV systems, our thermal array picks up the standard NATO target at ~940 m. More on detection range and coverage.

No — and we're upfront about that. The 36× zoom is digital: it enlarges the existing pixels to help you inspect a target, but it doesn't add resolution or extend how far you can see. Detection distance is set by the sensor's native resolution and the conditions, not by zoom. More about Panoblu IR.

Yes. The figures we publish are clear-air estimates. Haze, rain, high humidity, sea clutter and the target's angle all shorten real-world ranges. Thermal IR's advantage is that it still sees through darkness, fog and smoke when visible-light cameras can't — just at reduced range. See where thermal makes the difference.

Detection range tells you whether Panoblu can see a target. RAD — Range Awareness Display tells you exactly how far it is, overlaying live distance onto every target across the full 360° panorama, on both camera systems, recorded with every frame. They work together: see it, then know precisely how far.

Seaview captures the horizon at 8K — about 1.5× the resolution of the thermal array — so in daylight it sees and recognises even further, in full colour (a pleasure yacht at ~2.4 km, a person at ~300 m). Thermal IR sees what light can't reach: through darkness, fog and smoke. They're complementary — Seaview for the detailed day, IR for the night watch — and RAD runs on both.

It's a standardised reference target — 2.3 m × 2.3 m at about 2 K thermal contrast — used to compare thermal cameras on equal terms. Quoting performance against it lets buyers compare different systems directly. Panoblu IR picks up the NATO target at ~940 m.